Connecticut’s Oldest Movie Theater Closes Permanently

I just came across some terrible news for Connecticut movie lovers this morning. Connecticut's oldest continuously operating movie theater, Bantam Cinema is closing permanently due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is awful news for movie and art lovers in Litchfield and the surrounding towns. Bantam Cinemas was one of my favorite movie theaters, they carefully selected and showed some of the finest independent films being made. You would not catch a Hollywood big budget blockbuster at Bantam Cinemas, rather movies that moved you mentally.

Bantam Cinemas originally opened their doors in December of 1918, yes, the year that the Spanish Flu erupted across the United States and claimed millions of lives. Unfortunately, they did not make it through this pandemic. I'm very surprised that the owners decided to shut down, already people are suggesting a GoFundMe to keep the cinema alive. I would hope that Arethusa or Wood's Pit would throw a monetary lifeline.